It is quite unfortunate to say that after reading about 20 or so comments in,
the people who commented against Reid sounded really bitter and the people for
Reid sounded really Christlike. As Latter-day Saints, we truly should consider
how THE LORD, JESUS CHRIST himself would address and treat certain topics and
people, NOT how our political party of preference would treat them. So
let's "wake up and so something more" than succumb to our own
innate (natural man) desires. Face up to reality and know that sometimes, the
truth really hurts.

To: TMR of Los Angeles, Harry Reid has no clue evidently what the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes in or he wouldn't make such a
foolish statement. The statement that religion is a choice and sexuality is not?
People who are homosexuals choose to accept that way of life...God didn't
make them that way...they have chosen to go along with their feelings of
promiscuity with the same sex and that is their choice only. But they have to
realize the larger majority does not accept that type of behavior therefore they
reap the consequences. The Lord loves His children but does not love many of
their choices. Homosexuality is an abomination in the sight of God and their
choices should not be forced on others to accept.

The Church’s views on many topics do change, as God instructs it leaders.
In fact, they obviously change tremendously on the subject of marriage partners.
I really don’t understand at all those who say they don’t. I think
the quorum’s contemporary disposition on this topic remains to be seen.

As long as we claim to be the recipients of modern-day revelation through
prophets, we are never going to be able to say, "this is how it was, is, and
always will be". Yes, the Lord is the same, and truth is the same. But we,
imperfect people that we are, don't have all truth. Witness the new
discoveries and inventions of science and medicine that improve our lives and
health--how many of us are living healthier lives than we might have a hundred
years ago? Perhaps Senator/Brother Reid has not forgotten this unique feature of
our religion and realizes that revelation gives us growth in the Gospel (1978,
for instance) as members grow in maturity, understanding, and love for one
another. I am sure he isn't the only member to feel this, perhaps one of
the ones who is simply known well, and happened to mention it in public. Now,
I'm mentioning it here. Thoughts, anyone?

The church has always been for equal rights when it comes to housing, jobs,
health/hospital, probate etc. The Church has also not changed it's position
that Marriage is to be between a man and a woman. They made that known AGAIN at
the same time they made their position known AGAIN during the California Prop 8
vote, but the media did not report what the Church's position was on equal
rights for same gender couples at that time, they only reported what the
church's position was on same gender marriage. As a member of the
Church my personal position is the same, I do think that couples of the same
gender should have equal rights. I also do not believe that marriage has
anything to do with constitutional rights. Marriage is ordained of God and has
been in place long before the Constitution of the United States.

PlaybytheRules is right. God's views are eternal. He loves ALL of his
children, gay and straight. God's views regarding His black children were
revealed in June 1978. Who are we, as church members, to say that we have all
knowledge about His gay sons and daughters? No, church doctrine has not changed
with respect to homosexuality. But the church cannot speak for all of its
members on the subject. As a proud, gay church-going Mormon in a small Mormon
community, I can vouch for that.

In my humble opinion, Mormons and
everyone else can look to the example of the current Pope on same-sex
attraction. "Who am I to judge." Hopefully, LDS leaders can have that
kind of compassion in the future. Right now, the Mormon Church seems to want it
both ways -- we are compassionate, but gays have no place in God's plan.
How can THEY know that for sure in a church that believes in continuing
revelation?

For Open Minded MormonYou stated: the LDS Church has indeed changed
it's position of LGBT "rights" over time. It used to be LDS members
were automatically excommunicated for "being" gay. Now, it is only
acting on that comes into question.

I'm not saying you are
wrong, but I have a question. I know a man who told his Priesthood leaders he
was gay over 40 years ago (he's in his 60's now). They tried to help
him and get him to "change," but he was not excommunicated until he and
a companion moved in together. So I'm wondering when they change it to
being a behavior issue. I was always taught it is sinful behavior that you need
to repent of, not your feelings, or temptations that you resist, that need to
be repented of or excommunicated for. I am a life long member of almost 60 years
so just wondering if you can tell me when anyone used to be excommunicated for
something they feel rather than something they did?

I didn't feel he was speaking as far as the church and gay marriage is
concerned. I felt he was speaking because of the increased understanding people
are having and the church's desire to reach out to those in the gay
community. They have developed a web site geared towards encouraging members of
the church to have more compassion towards and understanding of the LGBT
community. As an LDS woman with a gay brother I understand that it is important
that all people have basic civil rights. I do not want my brother or anyone to
suffer by losing employment or housing due to his sexual orientation. We all
need to learn that supporting civil rights for all does not mean we are
supporting behavior we disagree with, it's important for everyone because
if we pick and choose we could be the next group on the outside being
persecuted. And with the church's history of its members being persecuted
and driven from homes and livelihoods, all LDS people should be in the forefront
of making sure nobody suffers the same even if the church's stance on gay
marriage will not change.

It is WRONG to fire someone just because they are gay. Jesus has told us to love
our neighbors. We shouldn't be judging them just because of an issue they
were born with. Blacks are born black and that doesn't make them any less
than whites are. They are as good as we are. The same for gays. They are people
just like us with great talents shared with all of us. Nothing is being said
about marriage, etc, but about the workplace and passing a law to stop the work
places from firing people based on being gay. This has nothing to do with
religion and has to do with protecting a person who is innocent from losing a
job just because of being gay. Without ENDA, any company could fire someone and
use the "gay" reason to terminate even if that person wasn't gay.

We are more advanced people now and carry new views on who people
are and that those who are born the way they are should be loved by us and
treated with respect. That's what Reid was saying that our views have
evolved a great deal in the past century.

It isn't the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that needs to
worry about maintaining it's credibility. It's got credibility the
world over. Senator Reid, however, would do well to work on his. For him to
do that, he should stop talking - just stop talking!

It has been my experience that those without convictions usually express
tolerance. Tolerance for anything is the politically correct thing to express so
as to not offend an amoral electorate or to see yourself as you actually are,
someone without conviction. Jesus, on the other hand, preached the Sermon on
the Mount, but called the Pharisees corrupt and whited sepulchurs, hardly the
'tolerant' person Harry Reid seems to see as the leader of his church.

I used to be a Reid fan (frankly I used to be a William Clinton fan too, and
Joseph Biden fan and Charles Schumer fan; and yes there are GOP politicians
that are difficult to comprehend as well), the above mentioned have put their
law degree ahead of Bible values. I respect John Kerry and Al Gore for not
going around talking only of one piano key on the piano: these men know there
are 88 keys on piano. Don't forget the poor Mr. Reid, they are more
important than your new interest to be popular. Peter and Paul taught a
message of morality. And if your niece or your children or your cousin convince
you to go after anything other than what Peter and Paul taught, then you are
therefore putting your education and the Constitution above the Bible and the
prophets. If all followed the Bible, we would not need laws. Abraham put God
first, (ahead of his own son), and we should too, and that is what is best for
families.

Why do some of you think this bill imposes on BYU´s ability to not hire
gays and lesbians?

The church can discriminate against religions by
only hiring those that are mormon. Guess who determines whether you are mormon
or not? That´s right, the church. And the church can excommunicate based on
sexual orientation.

Wait for the real fight that´s coming -
when churches start to be sued over excommunications of gays and lesbians.
That´ll be a doosy.